Question

What were the religious political and economic motivations behind the crusades?

Answer 1

The Crusades were called because of religious devotion but the call was answered because to the desire for political and economic gain.

A call went out for soldiers to take Jerusalem from the Seljuk Turks.  

Many second and third sons answered the call. In the Holy Land they could carve out principalities and become Lords. In Western Europe the land was all taken. The call was answer by most Crusaders for dreams of political and economic gain.

The Eastern Roman Empire had appealed for help became of the amount of land and control that they had lost to the Seljuk Turks.  

The agreement with the Pope was that the Crusaders would liberate not only Jerusalem but the lands lost to the control of the Turks.  

When the Crusaders liberated the land they kept the land for themselves. This showed that the reasons that the Crusaders answered the call was not religious devotion but economic greed.

Haha, hope this helps. <3 !